Relatives and friends of three soldiers killed in a helicopter crash gathered at the site of the tragedy to watch a poignant military fly-past today.

In 1999, a Lynx helicopter crashed near Tilton on the Hill, with only one of its four-man crew surviving.

The Army’s remaining Lynx choppers are being decommissioned and four of them embarked on a final journey during which they flew over the site of the accident.

People gathered to watch the helicopters (Image: Andrew Carpenter)

Laura Donnan, whose father, Staff Sgt Stuart Donnan, was killed said: “It’s been emotional, but it was nice to see so many people here. It’s upsetting, but my dad was really passionate about flying, I would have hated to have missed it.”

Miss Donnan was only 13 at the time of the crash.

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During the fly-past, she met Mary Inchley, who received a bravery award for helping after the accident. She said: “It was nice to meet her, it made me a bit teary, but it’s good to see people who helped out.”

Mrs Inchley, who lived in Tilton at the time of the crash and now lives in Melton, said: “People say you must have been very brave to go out there, but you don’t think of any danger which we have since been told there was. You see someone in trouble and you want to help.”